


Off Record

by lyricalive



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Club Activity, Established Relationship, F/F, POV First Person, Touhou Eiyashou: Imperishable Night, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:21:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24068014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyricalive/pseuds/lyricalive
Summary: [Merry POV] The two members of the Sealing Club investigate an abandoned building deep in a forest. What happens there, in the middle of nowhere, will stay as their secret.
Relationships: Maribel Hearn/Usami Renko
Kudos: 9





	1. Mooned Insect

The autumn moon, visible through the tall trees, was not quite full. Renko and I took heavy steps through a dense forest of pine. She held my hand to guide me as I trailed behind her.

– **"The satellite maps show evidence of an old building in this area. It must be long abandoned, but I'd like to find out what it was doing here. I have a feeling there might be a mystery to uncover."**

Her grip on my hand got tighter as she quickened our pace. I took advantage of not needing to look straight ahead, and glanced around us in all directions. There was no marked path, but dozens of small glowing orbs floated around us, winding between the trees, as if illuminating a path just for us... Fireflies. Their soft shine made for a rather romantic atmosphere.

Abruptly, Renko stopped and turned to face me.

– **"Ah, Merry, one landed on your hat."**

– _"Eh? Get it off!"_

So much for the atmosphere. She swatted the air around me to shoo the bug away without harming it.

– **"I agree, they give me the creeps. Much prettier from a distance."**

– _"This is why I say perception is a powerful thing."_

– **"Still, it's interesting to think all these little lights are living creatures too. And there are probably even more things that we can't see."**

– _"Mm. Even though it feels like we're alone... Bugs, birds, beasts, or spirits - anyone could be watching us."_

– **"Right. Well, doesn't that make it all the more exciting?"**

– _"I'm not sure I agree..."_

Being with Renko made me feel safer, but I still didn't appreciate the thought of things hiding behind every corner. I often resented it. Just the fact of having powers like mine... meant that it was next to impossible to truly have any alone time, even when we're out in the middle of nowhere. I can't help but be jealous of more normal couples out there.

– **"Anyway, we should be getting close. These are the coordinates we're looking for, but I don't see any building yet."**

– _"Hmm... Is that it?"_

I pointed a few meters to the east, where the forest tapered off into a clearing. Indeed, there was the outline of a small structure in the distance.

– **"Huh? ...You're right! Why didn't I notice that?"**

Staring at the shape of the building now, she was scratching her head in genuine bewilderment, as if she thought it had appeared out of thin air. It certainly was unusual for Renko to overlook such a thing. I crossed my arms and smiled in satisfaction, stepping in front of her to lead the way for once.

– _"Follow me!"_


	2. Old World

We stepped carefully through the creaky door. The windows were all boarded up, so we left the door ajar to maintain a faint source of light.

– **"It's so barren. What do you think this place was used for, Merry?"**

I found it odd, once again, for Renko to ask such a question.

– _"No matter how you look at, it must have been a schoolhouse."_

– **"What makes you say that?"**

– _"Isn't it obvious? It's one of those old one-room schoolhouses. There's a large desk up front. This might be a faded blackboard. And, look, how charming! There's a phonograph in the corner."_

I gestured around to each item as I introduced it, while Renko was giving me another suspicious look.

– **"...Can you really see all that, Merry? I only see an empty room."**

She couldn't see anything at all? Even though it was so clear to me.

– _"Strange. Let's see how functional it is."_

I walked over to the desk and propped myself up on top of it from behind. As I sat on its wooden surface, it held my weight. After a single blink, Renko's expression transformed.

– **"Ah... _Now_ I see it."**

Exploring the rest of the room was a unique experience. Even though she said she couldn't see them, Renko instinctively seemed to dodge the spots where objects stood as she wandered around the room. Perhaps that was part of the illusion's influence.

After spending a while trading ideas as to what was going on, Renko settled on a conclusion.

– **"I'd say this place has been detached from reality somehow. Essentially, it no longer exists."**

– _"It doesn't feel like we're actively in another world, or another 'reality,' either. Not even ghosts are attached to these old objects. Everything is very fixed."_

– **"If this is just a snapshot of someplace that used to be, then what we're seeing is like the lingering shadow of a sketch that's been erased. I don't think anyone would be able to find it... except you, whose eyes are one-of-a-kind."**

– _"My, you're making me blush."_

Renko put her hand to her chin in deep contemplation.

– **"I wonder, is it susceptible to change?"**

– _"Good question."_

– **"If it's like a deleted file, hidden off the record, will anything we do here be 'saved'?"**

– _"Off the record, huh... So, whatever happens in here will stay in here, and won't matter at all."_

– **"For example, no one would ever know if I -"**

Cutting herself short, she suddenly slammed the palm of her hand against the wall behind me. I stopped breathing for a moment as my back was pinned against the blackboard, her own body hovering inches away.

– _"..."_

With a sly wink, she dropped her arm and whirled back around, pleased with her joke.

– **"Eh-heh... Just kidding, Merry."**

Unfortunately, my heart beating out of my chest doesn't understand that kind of joke. How is she able to make it race more than when we're actually being threatened by youkai?


	3. Night Bird

Renko started heading toward the far corner of the room to investigate things. I wanted to grab her hand and follow like usual, but after her clichéd little stunt, I was strangely nervous to. So I went the opposite way to look around. With my attention diverted, there was so much to speculate about what may have once happened in this humble corner of existence.

I stood beside the phonograph and fiddled with it curiously. There seemed to be a vinyl record on it. According to our theory, it probably couldn't be moved, or else it would soon be reset to its original state. I wondered what kind of music was on it. Surely, it wouldn't hurt to at least try to play it...

Just then, with a deafening thump, the front door slammed shut.

– _"A-ah..."_

– **"Merry, are you okay?"**

We would get to test the theory. Before I could understand what was happening, the surroundings were pitch-black. There were no cracks in the window boards to let in natural light. Not even the vaguest outline of any reference point remained.

Was it a stray gust of wind that had jostled the door? We should have been more careful, should have left something there to hold it open...

I slowly sunk down to the ground so that I wouldn't stumble in my disorientation.

And I suddenly felt some sympathy for the times when Renko isn't able to see things. Seeing them might be scary, but not seeing them is worse. If perception is so powerful... then nothing could be scarier than perceiving nothing.

– _"I'm... scared. Renko, I'm scared."_

– **"Hang on. I'm trying to reach the flashlight on my phone, but it's not turning on."**

– _"Can you follow the sound of my voice?"_

– **"Good idea. Merry..."**

– _"Renko..."_

– **"Over here."**

– _"Ah, there you are. ...That is you, right?"_

– **"Yeah, it's me."**

I was able to grasp what I felt to be her arm. She probably noticed my fingers trembling. Clinging to the familiar sensation, I scooted closer, absorbing her warmth as I settled against her chest. I closed my eyes, which were currently useless anyway. The phonograph, and everything else that had fled my frame of reference, truly no longer seemed to exist.


	4. Cinderella Cage

The two of us found ourselves trapped together within four invisible walls. My heartbeat and hers, rhythms overlapping, were the only counter to the pure silence. With nowhere else to turn, I nestled my cheek into the soft cushion of her breast, before I realized how embarrassing of a position it was.

– _"Just... making sure we don't lose track of each other again."_

– **"Hmhm. Right."**

Was that a smug grin I could hear in her tone, even though I couldn't see it?

Even if she was teasing me, I didn't want her to stop talking. After losing sight, losing yet another sense on her would be too much. I felt like I wouldn't be able to confirm that she was really there.

– **"...Cute."**

With a whisper, she obliged my wish to hear her speak. But her choice of a word made me tremble all the more.

– _"S-stop that... This isn't the time!"_

Somehow, I already knew what her reply would be as soon as I finished the sentence.

– **"...Isn't it?"**

– _"Well..."_

– **"We just decided that this place can't be perceived by anyone."**

– _"And in this darkness, all the more so..."_

The realization had come to both of us at once. Subconsciously, I found myself wrapping my arms around her waist.

– **"There's nothing to be scared of."**

– _"Right..."_

Her words, being all I could hear, rang perfectly true.

Could this be... exactly the alone time I wanted? The idea was quickly erasing my fear with giddiness, and Renko seemed to be feeling just as impulsive.

– **"This wasn't the plan for tonight, but..."**

I felt her breath against my neck.

– _"Renko..."_

She went for such a sensitive spot right away... There was no 'kidding' about it.

I hugged her tightly, becoming more able to visualize her as I felt each curve. Her scent was definitely right, too. I groped around for more and... Huh? Before I knew it, I had managed to untuck her shirt, like my hands knew just where to go.

– **"Aha. I didn't know you could be this bold, Miss Merry. I'm sure this is against school rules."**

– _"Hmph. I don't see any school."_

To be alone with just Renko and my thoughts, naturally my thoughts would be about her. In this pure emptiness, it was surprising just how easy it was to focus on what I wanted. My lips first missed the mark and grazed her chin, blindly shifting to reach the rightful spot...

But then her own head tilted up and away.

– **"Wait. I just got an idea."**

– _"...What?"_

My face was burning, and it was all I could do to keep the anticipation out of my voice.

– **"Do you remember earlier? Even when we can't see it, our bodies seem to intuitively feel the layout of this room and avoid hitting things."**

– _"Oh. Then that means we should be able to get out of here."_

But do we really want to leave now? I made no effort to hold back my pout, certain that she couldn't see it.

Renko stood up from our crouched position, pulling me along with her. I continued clinging to her torso long after we were standing.

– **"We'll relax and feel the way. Ready?"**

I nodded, close enough to her that she could feel the nod.

– **"Let's see. The door was over here..."**


	5. Evening Primrose

As expected, there was nothing blocking our way. Each clumsy step that we took felt as if it took ages at the time, but it was very fast in retrospect; we easily reached the door and pushed our way out together. The discovery of the doorknob against my fingers was almost anticlimactic, but the relief of seeing the world again immediately afterwards was very real.

Although it was quite dark outside, the moonlight was still so much brighter than the pitch darkness that I had to squint my eyes for a moment. Once adjusted, the night was truly picturesque.

There were only the gentlest of breezes blowing through the thick forest. We determined, then, that the shutting door couldn't have been anything like a gust of wind. It was likely a result of that frozen piece of history maintaining and resetting itself after all.

We had solved a mystery, sort of, and made it out alive.

But I was far from satisfied.

– _"Hey, Renko... How much of this area do you think is affected?"_

– **"Hm?"**

– _"Are we still out of perception?"_

With no further hesitation, I grabbed her by the shoulder and leaned into her for a kiss, which she eagerly returned. The fresh air against my legs, to contrast with the warmth in my face, was a welcome, more natural feeling.

– **"Heh-heh. I guess you don't care about the answer, do you?"**

– _"What I care about is you taking responsibility."_

– **"All right. I wasn't planning to skip out. It was just too stale in there. And I'd much rather see your face."**

Under the shade of the blooming night, we kissed over and over, letting our bodies sway between the trees. The fireflies kept their distance.

Voluntarily, I closed my eyes. If all I can see is you, that's all that matters. Unlike in that sealed room, I do want it to matter.

I refuse to perceive the sun coming up, too...


End file.
